“It’s not a sock, it’s a foot-cover!” That’s the tagline for Puretoes, a new sock-like product with holes for toes and grip material on the soles. The company, based in Odessa, Fla., is one of the legion jumping on the “barefoot” footwear mega-trend.
But Puretoes, unlike much of the field, does not market its namesake foot coverings for runners. Instead, Puretoes, which come in multiple styles and seem mainly marketed to women, are for yoga, martial arts, Pilates, and exercise.
The pseudo socks have an opening for the big toe and one for the other four toes with a piece of fabric in between to hold them in place. On the bottom, rubbery grip areas are on the heel and ball of the foot for traction on slippery surfaces indoors and, if you want to get your Puretoes dirty, outside as well.
The foot coverings cost $20 a pair and come in four styles, including black, pink and a “tonal leopard print” that’s sure to turn heads unlike anything since the first days of Vibram FiveFingers. —Stephen Regenold